Channel allocation based on adjacent channel interference

Abstract

A communication management resource receives input indicating presence of a pair of wireless stations including a first wireless station and a second wireless station in a network environment. Based on a determined amount of adjacent channel interference between the first wireless station and the second wireless station, the communication management resource generates an adjacent channel interference value. The communication management resource assigns the adjacent channel interference value to the pair of wireless stations. The adjacent channel interference value indicates an estimate of adjacent channel interference between the first wireless station and the second wireless station. In a network of wireless stations, the adjacent channel interference value is used as a basis to identify pairs of wireless stations that are susceptible to adjacent channel interference. A wireless channel allocation management resource uses the adjacent channel interference information to allocate wireless channels for use by wireless stations to reduce adjacent channel interference.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 receiving input indicating presence of a pair of wireless stations including a first wireless station and a second wireless station in a network environment; 
 determining an amount of adjacent channel interference between the first wireless station and the second wireless station based on transmission of first wireless signals from the first wireless station and transmission of second wireless signals from the second wireless station; 
 generating an adjacent channel interference value based on the determined amount of adjacent channel interference; and 
 assigning the adjacent channel interference value to the pair of wireless stations, the adjacent channel interference value indicating an estimate of adjacent channel interference between the first wireless station and the second wireless station. 
 
     
     
       2. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein assignment of the adjacent channel interference value to the pair of wireless stations indicates that first communications over a first wireless channel by the first wireless station causes interference above a threshold value to the second wireless station communicating in a second wireless channel, the second wireless channel being adjacent in frequency to the first wireless channel. 
     
     
       3. The method as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 selecting allocation of wireless channels to the first wireless station and the second wireless station based on the adjacent channel interference value in response to detecting that the adjacent channel interference value is above a threshold value. 
 
     
     
       4. The method as in  claim 3  further comprising:
 choosing a frequency spacing between a first wireless channel and a second wireless channel based on the adjacent channel interference value associated with the pair. 
 
     
     
       5. The method as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining a frequency spacing value associated with the adjacent channel interference value; 
 selecting a first wireless channel and a second wireless channel for allocation to the pair in response to detecting that the first wireless channel and the second wireless channel are spaced apart in frequency by more than the determined frequency spacing; and 
 allocating the first wireless channel for use by the first wireless station; and 
 allocating the second wireless channel for use by the second wireless station. 
 
     
     
       6. The method as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 in response to knowing that the first wireless station and the second wireless station are frame-synchronized, calculating the amount of adjacent channel interference between the first wireless station and the second wireless station based on how many subframes and special subframe symbols of the first wireless station overlap with opposite duplex direction subframes and special subframe symbols of the second wireless station. 
 
     
     
       7. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein determining the amount of adjacent channel interference between the first wireless station and the second wireless station includes:
 via a model, producing an adjacent channel interference metric representing adjacent channel interference between the first wireless station and the second wireless station; and 
 multiplying the adjacent channel interference metric by a scale factor, a magnitude of the scale factor depending on an overlap of transmission frames associated with the first wireless station and the second wireless station. 
 
     
     
       8. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless station and the second wireless station are members of a group of wireless stations in a wireless network environment, the method further comprising:
 assigning wireless channels to the multiple wireless stations along with supplemental wireless channels to accommodate frequency spacings amongst the wireless channels. 
 
     
     
       9. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless station is a first mobile communication device; and
 wherein the second wireless station is a second mobile communication device. 
 
     
     
       10. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless station is a first wireless base station providing first mobile communication devices access to a remote network; and
 wherein the second wireless station is a second wireless base station providing second mobile communication devices access to the remote network. 
 
     
     
       11. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the adjacent channel interference value is based on a combination of: i) first adjacent channel interference caused by the first wireless station wirelessly transmitting while the second wireless station is wirelessly receiving, and ii) second adjacent channel interference caused by the second wireless station wirelessly transmitting while the first wireless station is wirelessly receiving. 
     
     
       12. The method as in  claim 11 , wherein the adjacent channel interference value is set to the greater of the first adjacent channel interference and the second adjacent channel interference. 
     
     
       13. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the adjacent channel interference value is based on a combination of CBSD (Citizens Broadband radio Service Device) coordination and EUD (End User Device) coordination. 
     
     
       14. The method as in  claim 13  further comprising:
 determining the adjacent channel interference value based on channel usage during a test of determining the adjacent channel interference value. 
 
     
     
       15. The method as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 marking a relationship between the first wireless station and the second wireless station as being an edge susceptible to adjacent channel interference in response to detecting that the adjacent channel interference value is greater than a threshold value. 
 
     
     
       16. The method as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining a frequency spacing value based on the adjacent channel interference value; and 
 selecting a first wireless channel and a second wireless channel for allocation to the pair of wireless stations, the first wireless channel and the second wireless channel being spaced apart in frequency by the determined frequency spacing value. 
 
     
     
       17. The method as in  claim 16  further comprising:
 providing notification of the first wireless channel for use by the first wireless station; and 
 providing notification of the second wireless channel for use by the second wireless station. 
 
     
     
       18. The method as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 producing the adjacent channel interference value based at least in part on how many uplink subframes associated with the first wireless station overlap with downlink subframes associated with the second wireless station. 
 
     
     
       19. The method as in  claim 18 , wherein communications to/from the first wireless station and the second wireless station are frame synchronized with respect to a common time-division duplex configuration implemented by both the first wireless station and the second wireless station, the common time-division duplex configuration supporting the uplink subframes and the downlink subframes. 
     
     
       20. The method as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 producing the adjacent channel interference value to indicate a degree to which the first wireless station and the second wireless station are susceptible to adjacent channel interference with respect to each other. 
 
     
     
       21. The method as in  claim 20  further comprising:
 determining a frequency spacing value based on the adjacent channel interference value; and 
 utilizing the frequency spacing value as a basis to select a first wireless channel and a second wireless channel for allocation to the pair of wireless stations. 
 
     
     
       22. The method as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 implementing a frequency spacing between a first wireless channel assigned to the first wireless station and a second wireless channel assigned to the second wireless station based on different service providers supporting the first wireless station and the second wireless station. 
 
     
     
       23. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein generating the adjacent channel interference value includes:
 producing the adjacent channel interference value based on a scale factor, a magnitude of the scale factor depending on an overlap of transmission frames associated with the first wireless station and the second wireless station. 
 
     
     
       24. The method as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving location information indicating a location of the first wireless station and a location of the second wireless station; and 
 utilizing the location information to derive the adjacent channel interference value. 
 
     
     
       25. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the adjacent channel interference value is based on a combination of: i) first interference caused by the first wireless station wirelessly transmitting the first wireless signals, and ii) second interference caused by the second wireless station wirelessly transmitting the second wireless signals. 
     
     
       26. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein generating the adjacent channel interference value includes:
 generating the adjacent channel interference value based on a first attenuation of the first wireless signals transmitted from the first wireless station and a second attenuation of second wireless signals transmitted from the second wireless station. 
 
     
     
       27. The method as in  claim 26 , wherein determining the amount of adjacent channel interference between the first wireless station and the second wireless station includes:
 generating an adjacent channel interference metric based on the first attenuation and the second attenuation; and 
 multiplying the adjacent channel interference metric by a scale factor, a magnitude of the scale factor depending on an overlap of transmission frames associated with the first wireless signals and the second wireless signals. 
 
     
     
       28. The method as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining a distance between the first wireless station and the second wireless station; 
 determining an attenuation associated with the transmitted first wireless signals and second wireless signals; and 
 determining the amount of adjacent channel interference based on the distance and the determined attenuation. 
 
     
     
       29. The method as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving location information indicating a location of the first wireless station and a location of the second wireless station; 
 determining a pathloss in a vicinity of the first wireless station and the second wireless station; and 
 determining the amount of adjacent channel interference based on the distance and the determined pathloss. 
 
     
     
       30. The method as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining a pathloss associated with wireless communications transmitted between the first wireless station and the second wireless station; and 
 determining the amount of adjacent channel interference based on the distance and the determined pathloss. 
 
     
     
       31. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless station is a first mobile communication device in communication with a first wireless base station via the first wireless signals; and
 wherein the second wireless station is a second mobile communication device in communication with a second wireless base station via the second wireless signals. 
 
     
     
       32. The method as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining the adjacent channel interference based on the first wireless station wirelessly transmitting communications to a third wireless station while the second wireless station is receiving wireless signals from a fourth wireless station. 
 
     
     
       33. The method as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining the adjacent channel interference based on the first wireless station wirelessly transmitting the first wireless signals to a third wireless station and the second wireless station wirelessly transmitting the second wireless signals to a fourth wireless station. 
 
     
     
       34. A system comprising:
 communication management hardware operable to:
 receive input indicating presence of a pair of wireless stations including a first wireless station and a second wireless station in a network environment; 
 determine an amount of adjacent channel interference between the first wireless station and the second wireless station based on transmission of first wireless signals from the first wireless station and transmission of second wireless signals from the second wireless station; 
 generate an adjacent channel interference value based on the determined amount of adjacent channel interference between the first wireless station and the second wireless station; and 
 assign the adjacent channel interference value to the pair of wireless stations, the adjacent channel interference value indicating an estimate of adjacent channel interference between the first wireless station and the second wireless station. 
 
 
     
     
       35. The method as in  claim 34 , wherein assignment of the adjacent channel interference value to the pair of wireless stations indicates that first communications over a first wireless channel from the first wireless station causes wireless interference above a threshold value to the second wireless station in a second wireless channel, the second wireless channel being adjacent in frequency to the first wireless channel. 
     
     
       36. The system as in  claim 34 , wherein the communication management resource is further operable to:
 select allocation of wireless channels to the first wireless station and the second wireless station based on the adjacent channel interference value. 
 
     
     
       37. The system as in  claim 36 , wherein the communication management resource is further operable to:
 choose a frequency spacing between the first wireless channel and the second wireless channel based on the adjacent channel interference value. 
 
     
     
       38. The system as in  claim 34 , wherein the communication management resource is further operable to:
 determine a frequency spacing value associated with the adjacent channel interference value; 
 select a first wireless channel and a second wireless channel in response to detecting that the first wireless channel and the second wireless channel are spaced apart by more than the determined frequency spacing; and 
 allocate the first wireless channel for use by the first wireless station; and 
 allocate the second wireless channel for use by the second wireless station. 
 
     
     
       39. The system as in  claim 34 , wherein the communication management resource is further operable to:
 in response to detecting that the first wireless station and the second wireless station are frame-synchronized, calculate the amount of adjacent channel interference between the first wireless station and the second wireless station based on a magnitude of subframes and special subframe symbols from the first wireless station that overlap with opposite duplex direction subframes and special subframe symbols of the second wireless station. 
 
     
     
       40. The system as in  claim 34 , wherein the communication management resource is further operable to:
 via a model, produce an adjacent channel interference metric representing adjacent channel interference between the first wireless station and the second wireless station; and 
 multiply the adjacent channel interference metric by a scale factor, a magnitude of the scale factor depending on an overlap of transmission frames associated with the first wireless station and the second wireless station. 
 
     
     
       41. The system as in  claim 34 , wherein the first wireless station and the second wireless station are members of a group of wireless stations in a wireless network environment; and
 wherein the communication management resource is further operable to: assign channels to the multiple wireless stations along with supplemental wireless channels to accommodate frequency spacings amongst the wireless channels. 
 
     
     
       42. The system as in  claim 34 , wherein the first wireless station is a first mobile communication device; and
 wherein the second wireless station is a second mobile communication device. 
 
     
     
       43. The system as in  claim 34 , wherein the first wireless station is a first wireless base station providing first mobile communication devices access to a remote network; and
 wherein the second wireless station is a second wireless base station providing second mobile communication devices access to the remote network. 
 
     
     
       44. The system as in  claim 34 , wherein the adjacent channel interference value is based on a combination of: i) first adjacent channel interference caused by the first wireless station wirelessly transmitting while the second wireless station is wirelessly receiving, and ii) second adjacent channel interference caused by the second wireless station wirelessly transmitting while the first wireless station is wirelessly receiving. 
     
     
       45. The system as in  claim 44 , wherein the adjacent channel interference value is set to the greater of the first adjacent channel interference and the second adjacent channel interference. 
     
     
       46. The system as in  claim 34 , wherein the adjacent channel interference value is based on a combination of CBSD (Citizens Broadband radio Service Device) coordination and EUD (End User Device) coordination. 
     
     
       47. The system as in  claim 46 , wherein the communication management resource is further operable to: determine the adjacent channel interference value based on channel usage during a test of generating the adjacent channel interference value. 
     
     
       48. The system as in  claim 34 , wherein the communication management resource is further operable to:
 mark a relationship between the first wireless station and the second wireless station as being an edge susceptible to adjacent channel interference in response to detecting that the adjacent channel interference value is greater than a threshold value. 
 
     
     
       49. The system as in  claim 34 , wherein the first wireless station is a first wireless base station transmitting the first wireless signals, the first wireless base station providing first mobile communication devices access to a remote network; and
 wherein the second wireless station is a second wireless base station transmitting the second wireless signals, the second wireless base station providing second mobile communication devices access to the remote network. 
 
     
     
       50. Computer-readable storage hardware having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when carried out by computer processor hardware, cause the computer processor hardware to:
 receive input indicating presence of a pair of wireless stations including a first wireless station and a second wireless station in a network environment; 
 determine an amount of adjacent channel interference between the first wireless station and the second wireless station based on transmission of first wireless signals from the first wireless station and transmission of second wireless signals from the second wireless station; 
 generate an adjacent channel interference value based on the determined amount of adjacent channel interference between the first wireless station and the second wireless station; and 
 assign the adjacent channel interference value to the pair of wireless stations, the adjacent channel interference value indicating an estimate of adjacent channel interference between the first wireless station and the second wireless station. 
 
     
     
       51. A method comprising:
 receiving input indicating presence of a pair of wireless stations including a first wireless station and a second wireless station in a network environment; 
 generating an adjacent channel interference value based on a determined amount of adjacent channel interference between the first wireless station and the second wireless station; 
 assigning the adjacent channel interference value to the pair of wireless stations, the adjacent channel interference value indicating an estimate of adjacent channel interference between the first wireless station and the second wireless station, the method further comprising: 
 determining first adjacent channel interference caused by the first wireless station wirelessly transmitting while the second wireless station is wirelessly receiving; 
 determining second adjacent channel interference caused by the second wireless station wirelessly transmitting while the first wireless station is wirelessly receiving; and 
 wherein generating the adjacent channel interference value includes deriving the adjacent channel interference value based on the determined first adjacent channel interference and the determined second adjacent channel interference.